2009-11 Ring Report Ring #170 The Bev Bergeron Ring

President Craig Fennessy called the Ring to order on October 21, 2009 and introduced the Ring Officers to the 23 members and guests in attendance. He announced that at the November meeting nominations for Officers will be accepted for the election which will take place at the December meeting. Dedicated members of the Ring were encouraged to indicate their interest. On December 8^th there will be a lecture by Michael Weber also to take place at the IHOP.

The members in attendance announced that the Daytona Magic Convention was coming up November 6^th thru 8^th but prior to that Dan Stapleton will perform 4 performances at the Winter Garden Theater on Halloween Eve and Halloween. Following Dan's show on Halloween, James Songster, Joe Vecciarelli, and Dave Koenig will do a Halloween Zombie Spectacular to round out the Day's festivies.

Kerry Pierce promoted the Annual Leesburg Magic Ring celebration. Our Ring is always invited to participate.

Other members performing this month were Dave Koenig as Professor Slim King in Daytona Beach.

Wallace Murphy will be at the Hard Rock Cafe and Jackie Manna will be busy at numerous venues throughout the area.

Phil Schwartz presented Magic Moment #17 featuring magic illusions that would be very popular during any Halloween Season. He lectured and showed apparatus examples including the Thayer wrist chopper which was introduced in 1941. He mentioned Kar-Mi-Magicians Sword Penetrations of the 1950's, Bill and Jerry Larson's-Wheel of Torture introduced in 1947. There were other examples of illusions designed as guillotines ( Lester Lake), Abbott finger choppers and the very impressive Candle Through the Arm available through Tannen.. He closed his Lecture by performing from 1928 the Demon of Doom Illusion by Thayer. A reluctant volunteer, Jackie Manna, was placed in stocks and to those of the audience who could watch metal spikes were hammered through her wrists and through her neck. What a finale!

After the break, Mark Fitzgerald emceed the members performances. Dan Stapleton started off performing Bob Hummer's Flatware Foolery effect. Will Wortman did a ”Not So Impromptu Hitman” (Merrill and Klan) followed by Kerry Pierce with 'the locked up deck'. Mike Martin and Mark Fitzgerald did a humorous card routine. The evenings entertainment ended with guest Rick Neiswonger performing a very entertaining variation of the “Professor's Nightmare”.

A fine time was had by all.

Sheldon Brook